A number of systems have been designed for allowing subdividing of office space and the convenient capability to provide power and communication capability at work stations.
One such system is shown in our U.S. Pat. No. 4,535,577 where power is provided at desk height by means of an access door with the panel including an electrical power conduit or passageway through the panel, preferably directly below the access door. Because communication cables are not particularly compatible with power cables, a separate communication passageway is provided therebelow.
Other arrangements have provided an access arrangement at the base of the panel into which the cable feeds can be placed. A further system provides a beam type arrangement at desk height and this beam is capable of receiving electrical power and communication cables.
All of these systems can be installed to satisfactorily provide power to a work station and to distribute communication cables to the various work stations. With the advances made in technology, it is now often desirable or necessary to go back to an existing panelling system and install communication cables and the like. In many cases, these will be low voltage cables which do not require an electrical conduit, or if they are electrical power cables, they can be shielded cables, and a difficulty arises in threading of the cables through various ports in the office panels. Some panels include passageways at the lower edge of the panel which are open to the side, however, in these cases, other equipment such as desks, tables, machinery, etc. may be in front of the panel, rendering access to this lower conduit difficult. Even access above desk height to a passageway may be difficult due to machinery, etc. on the working surfaces. Any arrangement requiring threading of the cables through the system is quite labour intensive and normally requires direct access to the interior of the panel.
There remains a need to provide a system and method for allowing the retrofit of a cabling system with communication cables and the like in a convenient manner.